State of the art park spanning 0.7 acres at investment of NIS 5 million to open in capital by end of next year

Good news for skaters in Jerusalem: A state of the art skatepark will soon be built in the capital’s Liberty Bell Garden. The park will span some three 3 dunams (0.7 acres) at an investment of NIS 5 million (roughly $1.3 million). The site is slated to open at the end of next year.

The idea was the brainchild of a group of Jerusalem teens, who demanded Mayor Nir Barkat build an extreme skateboarding park. They met with representatives of the city’s sports authority and protested until the mayor decided to grant their request.

According to plans, the new park will offer facilities that can serve up to 70 skaters at once, and will be suited for national and international competitions.

“Jerusalem will be joining leading cities around the world with a modern and professional skatepark that will attract many visitors,” Mayor Barkat said on Sunday.

“We have been negotiating with the Jerusalem Municipality for eight months now, which has suggested we recruit donors for the park’s construction… I am pleased to hear that the city has come to understand the park’s importance and has decided to build it,” said 16-year-old Noam Rifkin-Panton, one of the youths who pushed for the park’s approval.